TheZooUK
Active Member
London
Chester Enclosure 1 - Islands
Chester Enclosure 2 - Otter and Babirusa
Chester Enclosure 1 - Islands
Chester Enclosure 2 - Otter and Babirusa
Best UK Babirusa Enclosure
- Thread starter TheZooUK
- Start date
felis silvestris
Well-Known Member
Is this a reboot from the ones @britishzoofan did last year? Anyway I would rank it like this:
1. Chester (1)
2. Chester (2)
3. London
1. Chester (1)
2. Chester (2)
3. London
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Is there any wonder that Chester's is the better ?
They were also on the canal island opposite the old waterbus station when I was last there - not been yet since lockdown three (due very shortly though!) but not aware that they've moved from there.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
That said I'm glad that London have these and can raise their profile to the public.
Moreover I think those paddocks are far better suited for suid than elephant or rhino.
Moreover I think those paddocks are far better suited for suid than elephant or rhino.
TheZooUK
Active Member
I agree with that but the mix of otter and babirusa is a UK only I think.
TheZooUK
Active Member
On the map and zoo website it still says that they are together next to Realm of the Red Ape.
This is not even a pooled question or contest. Chester Zoo's babirusa exhibits are exemplary (both ... / or should I say. the RotRA wee one and the big complex in Islands.
I made a point of scoping out Chester's babirusa arrangements as best I could during a visit yesterday.
They are currently labelled (or I saw them - can't honestly remember a sign at the last one but the animal was visible) in three locations:
- in the Islands enclosure next to the macaques (enclosure 1 above)
- in the RotRA enclosure with the otters (enclosure 2 above)
- in the old warty pig enclosure between the wooden footbridge and Fruit Bat Forest
I couldn't tell if there were any still behind the Giraffe House as it is is increasingly screened off by foliage. Unless they have no outside access there are none in the Cattle House currently - the outside paddocks are home to anoa and the Congo Buffalo of course so the house somewhat unusually is actually genuinely a Cattle House for once (but the house interior was closed, so it's not impossible something else was being kept in there). The canal island appears unoccupied and signage has been removed.
They are currently labelled (or I saw them - can't honestly remember a sign at the last one but the animal was visible) in three locations:
- in the Islands enclosure next to the macaques (enclosure 1 above)
- in the RotRA enclosure with the otters (enclosure 2 above)
- in the old warty pig enclosure between the wooden footbridge and Fruit Bat Forest
I couldn't tell if there were any still behind the Giraffe House as it is is increasingly screened off by foliage. Unless they have no outside access there are none in the Cattle House currently - the outside paddocks are home to anoa and the Congo Buffalo of course so the house somewhat unusually is actually genuinely a Cattle House for once (but the house interior was closed, so it's not impossible something else was being kept in there). The canal island appears unoccupied and signage has been removed.
TheZooUK
Active Member
Thanks for this extra info, I think Chester must have one of the largest collections of Babirusa in Europe.
They are not a current holder but one of the most "interesting" (and certainly not the best) enclosures I have seen for babirusa in the UK was at South Lakes Wildlife Park some years ago.
They held a male/female pair of babirusa in a section of the park which was directly adjacent to a large walkthrough mixed species area.
Within the mixed species area visitors could purchase feed for the prairie dogs, wallaby/kangaroos and birds etc and the babirusa were held in a pen behind a wood post and chain-link fence that was approximately waist height for an adult.
The close proximity of the enclosures, permitted animal feeding and ease of access led to the possibly unique sight of several visitors hand feeding a male babirusa from a bag of pellets as though it were a goat at a petting zoo.
The babirusa didn't seem to mind, and even enjoyed being fussed behind the ear.
Not sure this is what the zoo had in mind for the bags of feed however!
They held a male/female pair of babirusa in a section of the park which was directly adjacent to a large walkthrough mixed species area.
Within the mixed species area visitors could purchase feed for the prairie dogs, wallaby/kangaroos and birds etc and the babirusa were held in a pen behind a wood post and chain-link fence that was approximately waist height for an adult.
The close proximity of the enclosures, permitted animal feeding and ease of access led to the possibly unique sight of several visitors hand feeding a male babirusa from a bag of pellets as though it were a goat at a petting zoo.
The babirusa didn't seem to mind, and even enjoyed being fussed behind the ear.
Not sure this is what the zoo had in mind for the bags of feed however!
To be honest, I think Chester are largely responsible for the fact there still are Babirusa in Europe. They had something 80% of the population at one point, and were the only ones regularly breeding for a while.
Gibbonsagainstgravity
Well-Known Member
This one’s easy and I don’t think there is any need to explain why.
Do they use that pool in London? Most of the enclosures that I have seen in the states don't even have a pool (mud pit sure...but not a large pool).
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
I've never seen them using it, and on most days it is drained. The enclosure was designed for elephants, and has more recently held tapir, who did use it occasionally.
Not denying that Chester's is far superior (which would be wrong, as its clearly the better of the two), but I think London's Babirusa enclosure is excellent. Plenty of grass, mud wallows, tree stumps and a good variety of vegetation, as well as a decent indoor area within a historic building which has recently been made onshow - seeing as this enclosure was designed for elephants, I think the repurposing deserves some applause.
This thread might be quite a bit more interesting now that Whipsnade has their new Babirusa enclosure, which they share with Francois' Langurs. A former sloth bear enclosure, it is far larger than any of the Chester's habitats, similarly well-landscaped, with plenty of foliage and varying terrain, a good amount of privacy, and very good separation options (both from each other and the langurs), in the shape of a forested, semi-offshow enclosure, not to mention a series of indoor stalls. I would say that, as an enclosure, Whipsnade is better than Chester here, but Chester deserves credit for having a genuine breeding group, with a great record over the years, as their work was crucial in this species' continued survival in European zoos.
@Lafone
@ajmcwhipsnade
Sad that so few zoos have Babirusa these days. I remember donating money to Edinburgh Zoo for them to get them back in the 90s. There was a glass case with either a model of a babirusa or a stuffed specimen in the main entrance where you could give money. As something I'd never seen in a zoo the idea of them getting them was really exciting.
When they arrived the enclosure was pretty decent, half way up the hill and near where the Great Grey Owl (now vulture) enclosure was.
When they arrived the enclosure was pretty decent, half way up the hill and near where the Great Grey Owl (now vulture) enclosure was.
Interesting, thanks! I was going to guess that it was a repurposed habitat, so that makes a lot of sense.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
I've never seen them using it, and on most days it is drained. The enclosure was designed for elephants, and has more recently held tapir, who did use it occasionally.Not denying that Chester's is far superior (which would be wrong, as its clearly the better of the two), but I think London's Babirusa enclosure is excellent. Plenty of grass, mud wallows, tree stumps and a good variety of vegetation, as well as a decent indoor area within a historic building which has recently been made onshow - seeing as this enclosure was designed for elephants, I think the repurposing deserves some applause.
This thread might be quite a bit more interesting now that Whipsnade has their new Babirusa enclosure, which they share with Francois' Langurs. A former sloth bear enclosure, it is far larger than any of the Chester's habitats, similarly well-landscaped, with plenty of foliage and varying terrain, a good amount of privacy, and very good separation options (both from each other and the langurs), in the shape of a forested, semi-offshow enclosure, not to mention a series of indoor stalls. I would say that, as an enclosure, Whipsnade is better than Chester here, but Chester deserves credit for having a genuine breeding group, with a great record over the years, as their work was crucial in this species' continued survival in European zoos.
@Lafone
@ajmcwhipsnade
Agree it's a good new space at Whipsnade. Certainly the species is well catered for though in all the locations and having seen them I'd say it is a better enclosure overall than Chester (with London third) but the record of breeding tips things back to Chester so it all gets pretty even in the top two. It's a good use of the former sloth bear enclosure at Whipsnade (if it couldn't have sloth bears).
The Whipsnade enclosure has some new furniture (for the langurs) now and it'll be even more interesting when the path to the new monkey forest opens as new glass viewing windows are being installed on the far side from the photo above as well as being able to see through the wire it'll mean there are really good views of the main and secondary enclosure (the latter being the first time you can see it on foot vs only on the train). Hopefully both the Babirusa and Langurs will be active in it. Being able to see it from the far side will help with photos and clearer views too as the wire has always been super bright in all sorts of light.